Everything is silent.
Am I in Heaven? I think.
Luna? a voice calls out.
I open my eyes to see blurry faces and a dark canopy.
Heaven is much darker than I thought.
Soon the faces come into focus and my heart sinks in horror at the realization; I'm still in Hell.
"Luna!" a death eater gasps in relief.
"Oh, my Lord! Come here! She's awake."
"Indeed?" a familiar voice asks slowly, almost as if it was a business transaction.
"Let me see her."
The sound of clicking is heard as another face comes into view; Tom Riddle.
"Well," he hisses.
"I thought you were smarter than that, my dear. I believe you had forgotten that I have magic."
With my mind still un-fuzzy-fying itself, I glance towards my arms and I am shocked. The cuts are gone. There aren't even any scars. It's as if it never happened.
"You also seemed to have forgotten that we would be able to hear you break the window."
I can't muster up the energy to say too much. Not that I would care to, as I feel I've lost all hope. Even through the supposedly inevitable, I cannot escape Tom Riddle.
I feel a tear roll down my face.
"Please," I whisper weakly.
"Let me go."
"Whatever for?" he asks.
"Are you not happy that you'll soon be married to the most powerful wizard of all? That you'll be living in luxury and will want for nothing?"
With what little strength I can muster, I shake my head. I see his face contort into anger and I wince, giving a small squeak and shutting my eyes, but suddenly it stops.
"Oh," he sighs as I open my eyes.
"My flower. My sweet, innocent, delicate, little flower."
He reaches out and gently caresses my hair. I don't have the strength to push him back, and part of me doesn't mind it. It's the first time in a while that I've had any sort of contact, let alone one that at least imitates compassion.
"This must all be a slight shock to you. You must understand I've had a lot of affairs to settle this past week. I thought you wouldn't mind some long-term isolation, but after this, it seems I was very much mistaken. I have not been treating you as a future wife of the ruler of all, but as a nobody.
"You must understand; I could've chosen any other girl. There are actually still a few Seers out there, and pureblood ones at that, but I chose you. And I chose you for a reason."
Because of my mum.
"Because you're beautiful, especially in a rare sense."
I flinch internally when he says that. I know he means my innocence. Dad always said innocence was so rare of a beauty, and I'd heard even other adults say things like that about me.
"She's very odd, but very innocent. No wonder she's such a beauty," I heard a few adults say when they thought I couldn't hear them.
Oh, but could I hear them.
"I promise I shall not put you through that pain again, my love," he whispers softly.
"Upon my honor, never again shall you suffer at my hand."
Then all of a sudden, he leans forward and plants a soft kiss upon my forehead. A strange sensation befalls me as his lips leave my forehead.
"We'd best let you get some rest. I shall have someone bring you some food in a few hours, my dear."
"Thank you," I say softly.
After everyone leaves, I feel….strange. From the way he acted just now, I have no clue if that was simply to let my guard down or if he truly cares about me. I would say it's the former, but I don't want to judge. He may have split his soul into pieces, but he must have some sense of compassion.
With my body feeling too delicate, I decide to simply wait and see.